1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improving the ecology by returning safely live fish that are caught back to the ocean or sea using a program to encourage fish tagging, identifying and releasing and, more particularly to an apparatus and method for use by recreational and sport fishing anglers to tag and graphically memorialize a specific fish which has been caught and subsequently released, on a medium such as cloth shirts for mass dissemination of information concerning the actual fish caught.
2. Description of Related Art
Marine biologists and scientists have studied the activities of fish using various markers and tags for many years. The ability to account for the presence of a particular fish or group of fish in time and geographic area provides a basic tool for fishery resource management and conservation.
Fish tags or markers are commonly used to provide biologists and scientists with information relating to the migratory and/or transitory patterns of fish. For example, catch and release programs, wherein fish are initially caught, then tagged and released, provide large scale opportunities for obtaining information using fish tags since, upon recapture, additional information may be obtained and logged. An ideal fish tag has certain characteristics which include: being inexpensive and easily obtained; ease and security of attachment to a fish while not harming the fish; remaining unaltered for the life of the fish; having no effect on the fish's biological traits and behavior; having zero effect on the fish's status in the food chain; containing sufficient, clear and concise information which is easily detected and understood by untrained individuals.
A number of fish tags are known in the background art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,742,649, issued to Eastman, discloses a band-type identification tag and method of banding fish for identification and conservation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,090, issued to Sharber, discloses a fish tag having an invasive cellularly adhering point of attachment. Sharber teaches invasive anchoring of a fish tag by initial mechanical attachment and subsequent assimilation with the flesh of the fish through cellular adhesion, impregnation or ingrowth.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,670, issued to Amick, discloses a fish tag including a monofilament having a retention member on one end and a flexible indicia bearing tube positioned about the monofilament.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,405, issued to Jefferts, discloses an identifying tag which is capable of being implanted in a macro-organism, such as a fish. The tag disclosed by Jefferts comprises a small metallic body having on their surface thereof coded information in the form of a predetermined pattern which is imparted on the surface of the body by a high-energy heat source, such as a laser.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,713,315, issued to Smith, discloses a wire tag etching system, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,545,405, issued to Jefferts, discloses a system for marking wire with a plurality of spots in a predetermined pattern. Jefferts contemplates that the pattern is in binary form, which will enable the trained biologists to identify the tag and thereby determine the movements of the host fish.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,490, issued to Haw et al., discloses a method for tagging fish for identification including an identification tag which is shallowly implanted within transparent or semi-transparent tissues of respective specimens wherein markings on the tag remain visible. Haw et al. teaches a method which includes implanting a tag, releasing the tagged fish into a body of water, subsequently capturing the fish and optically reading the detectable markings through the transparent tissue. In an alternate embodiment, Haw et al. contemplates removing the tag from the fish and reading the detectable markings upon removal of the tag.
In order to make the public more aware of the "tag and release" ecology program to preserve fish, the desirability of mass dissemination of information memorializing the experience of catching a certain fish that has been tagged and released is recognized in the recreational and sport fishing fields. One option available to anglers wishing to memorialize a particular catch includes having the catch prepared for mounting by a taxidermist. However, since mounting of a catch requires that an angler seek out and pay for the services of a taxidermist, this form of memorialization provides a limited option and very limited dissemination. This also defeats safely returning the fish to the environment. Another option available to anglers wishing to memorialize a particular catch includes obtaining color certificates illustrating a photograph of the species of fish caught, and personalized with the details regarding the catch. Such certificates allow individuals to catch and release a prize fish while retaining the ability to memorialize each catch with a certificate. These certificates are available through various environmental organizations or governmental agencies, such as the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. However, since many anglers are unaware of the availability of these certificates, use is limited. Accordingly, there exists a need for a simple, and cost effective apparatus and method for tagging and memorializing a specific catch which allows recreational and sport fishing anglers to quickly and easily tag and memorialize a catch on the spot, and, which allows for the specific fish to be released unharmed, and most importantly provides for mass dissemination of a graphic image of the specific fish caught with associated information regarding the catch location, the date, the time and size and weight information.